Captain Zahid bin Mohamed is a distinguished aviation professional with over 40 years of experience
Zahid Munawar is one of the leading international experts in aviation engineering and airworthiness, with more than 40 years of professional experience in aircraft certification, regulatory oversight, aviation safety, and the development of technical regulations and standards. He is an aviation engineer specializing in Avionics Engineering and holds a Master of Science in Aircraft Production and Maintenance Engineering from France. Throughout his career, he has gained extensive experience working with civil aviation authorities and regulatory organizations in New Zealand, the United Arab Emirates, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Mr. Munawar began his professional career in aircraft engineering and maintenance and served as an Aviation Engineering Officer in the Pakistan Army, where he undertook a wide range of technical, instructional, and management assignments in aircraft maintenance, overhaul, and engineering training. He also served as an instructor and departmental head within aviation engineering schools, contributing significantly to the training and development of aircraft maintenance engineers and technicians before transitioning to the civil aviation sector.
In 2000, he joined the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand (CAA New Zealand) as an Airworthiness Engineer and was later promoted to Team Leader Design Certification. In this role, he oversaw the certification and surveillance of design and manufacturing organizations, approval of engineering modifications, and development of regulatory procedures and advisory materials. He also played a key role in advanced national aviation projects, including Performance-Based Navigation (RNP) implementation, aircraft modification approvals, and technical cooperation initiatives with international aviation authorities such as the FAA, EASA, and CASA.
In 2007, Mr. Munawar joined the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) of the United Arab Emirates, where he served as Senior Airworthiness Engineer and later as Senior Manager Engineering Safety. During his tenure, he led numerous strategic initiatives related to aircraft certification, design and production organization approvals, and manufacturing oversight. He successfully managed the implementation of UAE Part 21 regulations, led the Airbus A380 Type Validation project, spearheaded digital transformation initiatives for certification services, and supported the development of technical cooperation agreements with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Since 2022, he has been serving as an Aircraft Certification Consultant and Technical Expert with the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) of Saudi Arabia. In this capacity, he provides expert guidance on type certification, repair and modification approvals, design and production organization approvals, regulatory development, and industry oversight. He also supports Air Operator Certificate (AOC) certification activities and assists in ensuring compliance with international aviation standards and best practices.
Mr. Munawar has actively participated in ICAO panels and international working groups and has led technical discussions and negotiations with major aircraft manufacturers, including Boeing, Airbus, Embraer, Bombardier, and Airbus Helicopters. His contributions have played an important role in advancing aviation regulations, strengthening safety oversight systems, and fostering international cooperation among civil aviation authorities.
Widely recognized as a strategic aviation engineering and airworthiness expert, Mr. Munawar possesses extensive knowledge of global certification systems, regulatory compliance, safety management, and technical oversight. His leadership, technical expertise, and commitment to excellence have significantly contributed to enhancing aviation safety and regulatory effectiveness across multiple civil aviation organizations worldwide.
